S3741

An Act concerning the reestablishment of a certification program for recreation administrators in the State and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares the following:

a. P.L.1966, c.291 (C.13:1C-1 et seq.) established a certification program for recreation administrators and recreation supervisors in New Jersey. The program was administered by the New Jersey Board of Recreation Examiners, was used as a nationwide model for other states’ recreation certification programs, and remained in operation for many decades, until the enactment of P.L.2013, c.253, which repealed numerous laws governing inactive boards and commissions.

b. While P.L.2013, c.253 eliminated the New Jersey Board of Recreation Examiners, it also indicated that the board’s powers, duties, and functions, including its authority to operate a recreation certification program, were to be transferred to the Department of Community Affairs. Due to a problem with implementation, however, the certification program’s regulations have been allowed to lapse, and examinations for certification are no longer being offered in the State.

c. Certified recreation administrators, when compared to their noncertified peers, are better able to facilitate recreational programs and services for municipal, county, or State government agencies, youth centers, out-of-school care and activities providers, senior and adult day care centers, and other similar organizations.

d. Certification also serves to protect individuals in the State who receive recreation services, including some of New Jersey’s most vulnerable populations such as children, seniors, and individuals with special needs, by identifying those professionals who meet high-quality care criteria.

e. The reestablishment of a State-level certification program for recreation administrators is a reasonable and important means by which the State can promote the emotional, social, physical, and intellectual growth of the people of the State through recreation services.

f. Based on the foregoing, it is both reasonable and necessary for the State to reestablish a certification program for recreation administers and authorize all previously certified recreation administrators and recreation supervisors to obtain new certification under the reestablished certification program.

2. As used in this act:

“Certification program” means the recreation administrator certification program reestablished pursuant to section 3 of this act.

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Community Affairs.

“Department” means the Department of Community Affairs.

“Previously certified recreation administrator” means a person who was certified as a recreation administrator, pursuant to P.L.1966, c.291 (C.13:1C-1 et seq.), and whose certification was in active status on the effective date of P.L.2013, c.253.

“Previously certified recreation supervisor” means a person who was certified as a recreation supervisor, pursuant to P.L.1966, c.291 (C.13:1C-1 et seq.), and whose certification was in active status on the effective date of P.L.2013, c.253.

“Recreation administrator” means the executive head or assistant to the executive head administering a major recreation program for the State, a county or municipality, any agency thereof, or any public institution.

“Recreation supervisor” means a person responsible for the planning, organizing, and supervising of a part of a program administered by a recreation administrator.

3. a. (1) No more than 180 days after the effective date of this act, the Department of Community Affairs shall reestablish and administer a program for the certification of recreation administrators in New Jersey.

(2) The department shall issue a printed certificate to any person who is certified, pursuant to this act, to serve as a recreation administrator, including a person whose prior certification has been automatically reinstated pursuant to subsection b. of this section. Each certificate issued pursuant to this act, including a certificate reinstated for a previously certified recreation administrator, shall be valid for, and shall automatically expire after, a period of two years following the date of issuance, unless renewed pursuant to subsection d. of this section.

(3) No more than 30 days after the certification program is reestablished under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the department shall send written notice to each previously certified recreation supervisor and each previously certified recreation administrator, indicating that the person is eligible to apply for new certification, as provided by subsection c. of this section or, if appropriate, is eligible to apply for the automatic reinstatement of the person’s pre-existing certification, as provided by subsection b. of this section.

b. The department shall automatically reinstate the certification of a previously certified recreation administrator, provided that the person submits to the department, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, a completed reinstatement request form and a reinstatement fee of $25, no more than 60 days after receipt of the notice mailed pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection a. of this section. A person who fails to submit a request for reinstatement within the 60-day reinstatement grace period established by this subsection shall be deemed to have a lapsed certification, shall no longer be eligible for automatic reinstatement of the certification and shall be required to comply with the procedures established in subsection c. of this section in order to obtain new certification under this act.

c. (1) Except as otherwise provided by subsection b. of this section, any person who wishes to be certified as a recreation administrator pursuant to this act shall submit to the department, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, a completed application form, an application fee of $25, and documentation sufficient to establish, to the commissioner’s satisfaction, that the applicant is either certified by the National Recreation and Park Association as a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) or is otherwise qualified, by education or experience as determined by the department, to serve as a recreation administrator in the State.

(2) The certification program reestablished pursuant to this act shall not provide for the separate certification of recreation supervisors. However, any previously certified recreation supervisor may apply for a new certification as a recreation administrator, as provided by paragraph (1) of this subsection, based on the person’s prior supervisory experience.

d. A person seeking a biennial renewal of a certificate issued pursuant to this act shall, prior to the expiration of the certificate, submit to the department, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, a completed renewal application form, a renewal fee of $25, and documentation verifying that the person has completed at least twenty hours of continuing education credits in appropriate subject areas, as required by the department, during the preceding two-year certification period.

e. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act. The rules and regulations shall include, but need not be limited to:

(1) standards that will be used by the department in determining whether an applicant who is not certified as a CPRP, including, but not limited to, a previously certified recreation supervisor, has obtained the necessary education or experience, as provided by paragraph (1) of subsection c. of this section, to serve and be certified as a recreation administrator; and

(2) biennial continuing education requirements that are required to be completed by a certified recreation administrator in order to renew an existing certification pursuant to subsection d. of this section.

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would require the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), no more than 180 days after the bill’s effective date, to reestablish and administer a program for the certification of recreation administrators in New Jersey. A similar certification program for recreation administrators and recreation supervisors, established by P.L.1966, c.291 (C.13:1C-1 et seq.) and administered by the New Jersey Board of Recreation, was used as a nationwide model and remained in operation until the enactment of P.L.2013, c.253. P.L.2013, c.253 repealed numerous laws governing inactive boards and commissions and, while it eliminated the New Jersey Board of Recreation Examiners, it also indicated that the board’s powers, duties, and functions, including its authority to operate a recreation certification program, were to be transferred to the DCA. However, due to a problem with implementation, the certification program’s regulations have been allowed to lapse, and examinations for certification are no longer being offered in the State.

The reestablishment of a State-level certification program for recreation administrators is a reasonable and important means by which the State can promote the emotional, social, physical, and intellectual growth of the people of the State through recreation services. Certified recreation administrators are better able, when compared to their noncertified peers, to facilitate recreational programs and services for municipal, county, or State government agencies, youth centers, out-of-school care and activities providers, senior and adult day care centers, and other similar organizations. Certification also works to protect individuals in the State who receive recreation services, including some of New Jersey’s most vulnerable populations such as children, seniors, and individuals with special needs, by identifying those professionals who meet high-quality care criteria. For these reasons, the bill would provide for the reestablishment of a certification program for recreation administrators and authorize all previously certified recreation administrators and recreation supervisors to obtain a new certification under the bill’s provisions.

No more than 30 days after the certification program is reestablished under the bill, the DCA will be required to send written notice to each previously certified recreation supervisor and each previously certified recreation administrator, indicating that the person is eligible to apply for new certification or, if appropriate, is eligible to apply for the automatic reinstatement of the person’s pre-existing certification, as provided by the bill.

Under the bill, the department would be required to automatically reinstate a previously certified recreation administrator, provided that the person submits, to the department, a completed reinstatement request form and a reinstatement fee of $25, no more than 60 days after receipt of the DCA’s notice regarding the right to reinstatement. Any person who fails to submit a request for reinstatement within the 60-day reinstatement grace period established by the bill will be deemed to have a lapsed certification, will no longer be eligible for the automatic reinstatement of the certification, as provided by the bill, and will be required to comply with the procedures applicable to new applicants.

A new applicant for certification as a recreation administrator under the bill will be required to submit to the DCA: a completed application form; an application fee of $25; and documentation sufficient to establish, to the commissioner’s satisfaction, that the applicant is either certified by the National Recreation and Park Association as a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) or is otherwise qualified, by education or experience as determined by the department, to serve as a recreation administrator in the State.

The reestablished certification program will not provide for the separate certification of recreation supervisors. However, the bill provides that any previously certified recreation supervisor will be eligible to apply for a new certification as a recreation administrator, based on the person’s prior supervisory experience.

The bill would require the DCA to issue a new, printed certificate to any person who is certified to serve as a recreation administrator, including any person whose prior certification has been automatically reinstated. Each certificate issued under the bill, including a certificate reinstated for a previously certified recreation administrator, will be valid for, and will automatically expire after, a period of two years following its date of issuance, unless the holder biennially renews the certification in accordance with the procedure specified by the bill.

A person seeking the biennial renewal of certification as a recreation administrator will be required, prior to the expiration of the certificate, to submit to the department: a completed renewal application form; a renewal fee of $25; and documentation verifying that the person has completed at least twenty hours of continuing education credits in appropriate subject areas, as required by the department, during the preceding two-year certification period.

The bill requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt rules and regulations to implement the bill’s provisions. The rules and regulations are to include, but need not be limited to:

1) standards to be used by the department in determining whether an applicant who is not certified as a CPRP, including, but not limited to, a previously certified recreation supervisor, has otherwise obtained the necessary education or experience to serve and be certified as a recreation administrator; and

2) biennial continuing education requirements that are to be satisfied by a certified recreation administrator for the purposes of renewing an existing certification.